《黎明踏浪号》第十三章 三个沉睡的公爵

CHAPTER THIRTEEN THE THREE SLEEPERS
第十三章　三个沉睡的公爵

THE wind never failed but it grew gentler every day till at length the waves were little more than ripples，and the ship glided on hour after hour almost as if they were sailing on a lake.And every night they saw that there rose in the east new constellations which no one had ever seen in Narnia and perhaps，as Lucy thought with a mixture of joy and fear，no living eye had seen at all.Those new stars were big and bright and the nights were warm.Most of them slept on deck and talked far into the night or hung over the ship’s side watching the luminous dance of the foam thrown up by their bows.
风没停过，却也一天比一天小，到最后浪花变成了涟漪，船一个小时接着一个小时行驶着，仿佛行驶在湖面上似的。每天夜里他们都看见东方升起新的星辰，在纳尼亚可没人见过这些星辰。正如露茜惊喜地琢磨着，也许任何肉眼凡胎的人都根本没见过吧。那些星星又大又亮，夜间天气很是暖和，他们大半人睡在甲板上，有人一直谈到深更半夜，有人在船舷徘徊，看船头激起的泡沫，像是在观看舞蹈一样。
On an evening of startling beauty，when the sunset behind them was so crimson and purple and widely spread that the very sky itself seemed to have grown larger，they came in sight of land on their starboard bow.It came slowly nearer and the light behind them made it look as if the capes and headlands of this new country were all on fire.But presently they were sailing along its coast and its western cape now rose up astern of them，black against the red sky and sharp as if it was cut out of cardboard，and then they could see better what this country was like.It had no mountains but many gentle hills with slopes like pillows.An attractive smell came from it-what Lucy called“a dim，purple kind of smell”，which Edmund said(and Rhince thought)was rot，but Caspian said，“I know what you mean.”
有一天，黄昏惊人的美。船后面的夕阳红彤彤的，映红了漫天的晚霞，使天空更加空旷。突然，他们看见右舷船头那边有陆地。陆地越来越近，后面的霞光照得这个地方所有的海角如同着了火。不久他们就沿着海岸行驶了，渐渐在他们船尾方向看到西部海角，黑乎乎的，衬着红彤彤的天，轮廓分明，犹如剪影一般。他们这才看得清这地方。陆地上没有大山，只有许多小山包，像枕头一样。陆地上飘来一股诱人的气息——露茜说那“是一种轻淡的，华丽的气味”。爱德蒙说这是胡话( 赖因斯也这么想)，可是凯斯宾却说：“我知道你的意思。”
They sailed on a good way，past point after point，hoping to find a nice deep harbour，but had to content themselves in the end with a wide and shallow bay.Though it had seemed calm out at sea there was of course surf breaking on the sand and they could not bring the Dawn Treader as far in as they would have liked. They dropped anchor a good way from the beach and had a wet and tumbling landing in the boat.The Lord Rhoop remained on board the Dawn Treader.He wished to see no more islands.All the time that they remained in this country the sound of the long breakers was in their ears.
他们开了很长一段路程，开过一个海角又一个海角，希望能找一个深水良港，可是最后只能在一个又宽又浅的海滩将就一下。虽然外边的海面风平浪静，可是沙滩上还是有小波浪拍打水岸，他们没法把黎明踏浪号按心里想的那样开进去，只好在离开海滩很远的地方抛锚，再坐小船，每个人都浑身湿淋淋，跌跌撞撞地上了岸。罗普公爵依然留在黎明踏浪号上，他不希望再看见什么岛屿了。他们留在岛上的时候，长长的海浪拍打海岸的声音一直回旋在耳边。
Two men were left to guard the boat and Caspian led the others inland，but not far because it was too late for exploring and the light would soon go.But there was no need to go far to find an adventure.The level valley which lay at the head of the bay showed no road or track or other sign of habitation.Underfoot was tine springy turf dotted here and there with a low bushy growth which Edmund and Lucy took for heather.Eustace，who was really rather good at botany;said it wasn’t，and he was probably right;but it was something of very much the same kind.
凯斯宾留下两个人守护着小船，他带其他人到陆地上去，但没走远，天色就黑了下来。因为天太晚了，所以无法探测。不过要探索也用不着走太远，滩头那片平地看不见道路，也看不见足迹，更没有人烟。脚下到处都是细软湿润的草皮，还有一种低矮的丛生植物，爱德蒙和露茜认为那是石南。尤斯塔斯相当精通植物学，他说不是石南， 也许是吧，反正这东西跟石南大同小异。
When they had gone less than a bowshot from the shore， Drinian said，“Look ! What’s that ?”and everyone stopped.
他们走到离岸不到一箭远的地方，德里宁说：“看，那是什么?” 大家听了都站住了。
“Are they great trees ?”said Caspian.
“是一棵大树吗?”凯斯宾说。
“Towers，l think，”said Eustace.
“我感觉是塔。”尤斯塔斯说。
“It might be giants，”said Edmund in a lower voice.
“是巨人吧。”爱德蒙放低声音说。
“The way to find out is to go right iv among them，”said Reepicheep，drawing his sword and pattering off ahead of everyone else.
“想知道是什么就直接过去看看。”雷佩契普拔出剑来，啪嗒啪嗒地走在了前边。
“I think it’s a ruin，”said Lucy when they had got a good deal nearer，and her guess was the best so far.What they now saw was a wide oblong space flagged with smooth stones and surrounded by grey pillars but unroofed.And from end to end of it ran a long table laid with a rich crimson cloth that came down nearly to the pavement.At either side of it were many chairs of stone richly carved and with silken cushions upon the seats.But on the table itself there was set out such a banquet as had never been seen， not even when Peter the High King kept his court at Cair Paravel. There were turkeys and geese and peacocks，there were boars’ heads and sides of venison，there were pies shaped like ships under full sail or like dragons and elephants，there were ice puddings and bright lobsters and gleaming salmon，there were nuts and grapes， pineapples and peaches，pomegranates and melons and tomatoes. There were flagons of gold and silver and curiouslywrought glass; and the smell of the fruit and the wine blew towards them like a promise of all happiness.
"“我觉得是座废墟。”当他们走近时，露茜说。显然她的猜测是最正确的。他们眼前是一块宽阔的长方形空地，地面铺着光滑的卵石，四下都是灰色的柱子，没有屋顶。从这一端到那一端的中间是一张长长的桌子，桌上铺着快要拖到石板地上的大红桌布。桌子周围有许多精工细雕的石椅，铺着绸缎垫子。上面还摆了一桌从未见过的丰盛宴席，相信至尊王彼得在凯尔帕拉维尔执政时也从未见过这样丰盛的宴席。

上面有火鸡、鹅和孔雀，有野猪头、鹿脯，有馅饼，有的形状像张开帆的大船，有的像巨龙，有的像大象。有冰镇布丁，有鲜艳的龙虾、闪亮的鲑鱼，有果仁、葡萄、菠萝，有桃子、石榴、蜜瓜和番茄。还有金酒壶、银酒壶、制作奇巧的玻璃酒杯，水果和美酒的香味向他们迎面扑来，顿时他们觉得非常兴奋。
"
“I say !”said Lucy.
“好丰盛!”露茜说。
They came nearer and nearer，all very quietly.
他们越来越近，大家都不说话了。
“But where are the guests ?”asked Eustace.
“客人在哪儿呢?”尤斯塔斯问。
“We can provide that，Sir，”said Rhince.
“我们来凑个数，阁下。”赖因斯说。
“Look !”said Edmund sharply.They were actually within the pillars now and standing on the pavement.Everyone looked where Edmund had pointed.The chairs were not all empty.At the head of the table and in the two places beside it there was something-or possibly three somethings.
“瞧!”爱德蒙惊叫道。眼下他们已经到柱子围着的石地板上了。大家都朝爱德蒙所指的地方看去。原来椅子不全是空座，在桌子首席和左右两边座位上大概有三个什么东西。
“What are those ?”asked Lucy in a whisper.“It looks like three beavers sitting on the table.”
“那是什么?”露茜悄声问，“很像三个坐在席上的海狸。”
“Or a huge bird’s nest，”said Edmund.
“应该是个大鸟巢。”爱德蒙说。
“It looks more like a haystack to me，”said Caspian.
“我看更像干草堆。”凯斯宾说。
Reepicheep ran forward，jumped on a chair and thence on to the table，and ran along it，threading his way as nimbly as a dancer between jewelled cups and pyramids of fruit and-ivory salt-cellars.He ran right up to the mysterious grey mass at the end： peered，touched，and then called out：
雷佩契普奔上前，跳到椅子上，再跳到桌子上，顺着桌子跑过去， 像个舞蹈家一样灵活地穿行在镶珠嵌宝的酒杯和堆得像金字塔一样的水果和象牙盐瓶之间。一直跑到桌子尽头那堆灰不溜秋的神秘东西旁边，东张西望，还碰了几下，然后叫道：
“These will not fight，I think.”
“我感觉它们是没有攻击性的。”
Everyone now came close and saw that what sat in those three chairs was three men，though hard to recognize as men till you looked closely.Their hair，which was grey，had grown over their eyes till it almost concealed their，faces，and their beards had grown over the table，climbing pound and entwining plates and goblets as brambles;entwine a fence，until，all mixed in one great mat of hair，they flowed over the edge and down to the floor.And from their heads the hair hung over the backs of their chairs so that they were wholly hidden.In fact the three men were;nearly all hair.
这时大家都走近了，看到那三个座位上坐着的是三个人，不凑近还真看不出来呢。他们的头发灰白，盖过眼睛，几乎遮住了脸; 他们的胡子长得盖住桌子，沿着桌子像荆棘绕篱笆似的盘绕着杯盘， 一大簇毛发垂在桌沿，拖到地面上。他们的头发丝还披散到椅背上，把身体全遮住了，实际上这三个人就像三团毛。
“Dead ?”said Caspian.
“死了吗?”凯斯宾说。
“I think not，Sire，”said Reepicheep，lifting one of their hands out of its tangle of hair in his two paws.“This one is warm and his pulse beats.”
“我看没死，陛下。”雷佩契普说，它两只爪抓起那簇毛发， 举起其中一个人的手，说：“至少他的手是温热的，脉搏在跳动。”
“This one，too，and this，”said Drinian.
“他也是，还有他。”德里宁说。
“Why，they’re only asleep，”said Eustace.
“好吧，他们只是睡着了而已。”尤斯塔斯说。
“It’s been a long sleep，though，”said Edmund，“to let their hair grow like this.”
“可是，让头发长到这样，他们已经睡了很久了啊。”爱德蒙说。
“It must be an enchanted sleep，”said Lucy.“I felt the moment we landed on this island that it was full of magic.Oh !do you think we have perhaps come here to break it ?”
“很有可能是中了魔法。”露茜说，“我们一踏上这个岛，我就感到这里充满了魔力。哦，你们不认为，我们到这儿来，就是来破解这种魔法的吗?”
“Out oars for Narnia，eh ?”said Drinian.
“准备划船到纳尼亚去，嗯?”德里宁说。
“Yes，”said Caspian，“you are right，Drinian.I think our quest is at an end.Let’s look at their rings.Yes，these are their devices.This is the Lord Revilian.This is the Lord Argoz：and this，the Lord Mavramorn.”
“是啊，”凯斯宾说，“你说得不错，德里宁。我想，我们的寻访快要结束了。我们来瞧瞧他们的戒指吧。看，这就是他们的纹章， 他是雷维廉公爵，他是阿尔戈兹公爵，他则是马弗拉蒙公爵。”
“But we can’t wake them，”said Lucy.“What are we to do ?”
“我们却叫不醒他们啊，”露茜说，“该怎么办才好呢?”
“Begging your Majesties’ pardons all，”said Rhince，“but why not fall to while you’re discussing it ? We don’t see a dinner like this every day.”
“请各位陛下原谅，”赖因斯说，“为什么不趁你们讨论的时候先开始用餐呢?这样的美餐我们可不是天天都能享受的啊。”
“Not for your life !”said Caspian.
“千万不能吃!”凯斯宾说。
“That’s right，that’s right，”said several of the sailors.
“就是啊，就是啊，”几个水手说，
“Too much magic about here.The sooner we’re back on board the better.”
“这里到处是魔法，我们还是趁早回船为好。”
“Depend upon it，”said Reepicheep，“it was from eating this food that these three lords came by a seven years’ sleep.”
“的确，”雷佩契普说，“这三位公爵一定是吃了这桌酒菜， 才睡了七年之久。”
“I wouldn’t touch it to save my life，”said Drinian.
“我不想死，我才不想碰这些酒菜呢。”德里宁说。
“The light’s going uncommon quick，”said Rynelf.
“天色很快就变暗了。”赖尼夫说。
“Back to ship，back to ship，”muttered the men.
“回去吧，回去吧。”其他人念叨着说。
“I really think，”said Edmund，“they’re right.We can decide what to do with the three sleepers tomorrow.We daren’t eat the food and there’s no point in staying here for the night.The whole place smells of magic-and danger.”
“我认为，”爱德蒙说，“他们说得对。明天我们再决定怎么唤醒这三个沉睡的人吧。我们不敢吃这顿酒菜，待在这里过夜也没意思了。这片土地处处都有魔法和危险的气息。”
“I am entirely of King Edmund’s opinion，”said Reepicheep，“as far as concerns the ship’s company in general.But I myself will sit at this table till sunrise.”
“我完全赞同爱德蒙国王对全体成员的意见，”雷佩契普说，“不过我倒愿意在这儿一直坐到天亮。”
“Why on earth ?”said Eustace.
“为什么呢?”尤斯塔斯说。
“Because，”said the Mouse，“this is a very great adventure， and no danger seems to me so great as that of knowing when I get back to Narnia that I left a mystery behind me through fear.”
“因为这是一次很了不起的奇遇，”老鼠说，“对我而言任何危险我都不怕，要是回到了纳尼亚，心里会一直想，由于害怕有一个谜没解开，那才要命呢。”
“I’ll stay with you，Reep，”said Edmund.
“我陪你，雷佩契普。”爱德蒙说。
“And I too，”said Caspian.
“我也是。”凯斯宾说。
“And me，”said Lucy.And then Eustace volunteered also. This was very brave of him because never having read of such things or even heard of them till he joined the Dawn Treader made it worse for him than for the others.
“我也是。”露茜说。然后尤斯塔斯也自告奋勇留下。对他而言， 这是非常勇敢的行为，他没登上黎明踏浪号之前，从来没在书上看到过这样的故事，连听都没听说过，所以这个决定对他而言比对其他人更难。
“I beseech your Majesty—”began Drinian.
“恳求陛下……”德里宁开口说。
“No，my Lord，”said Caspian.“Your place is with the ship， and you have had a day’s work while we five have idled.”There was a lot of argument about this but in the end Caspian had his way. As the crew marched off to the shore in the gathering dusk none of the five watchers，except perhaps Reepicheep，could avoid a cold feeling in the stomach.
“不，公爵，”凯斯宾说，“你的岗位在船上，你工作了整整一天， 可我们五个却一直闲着。”争论这件事费了不少口舌，到最后还是凯斯宾说了算。暮色苍茫中，船员出发到海岸去，留下了他们五个守夜的人，除了雷佩契普，其他人都感到肚子有些冰凉。
They took some time choosing their seats at the perilous table. Probably everyone had the same reason but no one said it out loud.For it was really a rather nasty choice.One could hardly bear to sit all night next to those three terrible hairy objects which， if not dead，were certainly not alive in the ordinary sense.On the other hand，to sit at the far end，so that you would see them less and less as the night grew darker，and wouldn’t know if they were moving，and perhaps wouldn’t see them at all by about two o’clock no，it was not to be thought of.So they sauntered round and round the table saying，“What about here ?”and“Or perhaps a bit further on，”or，“Why not on this side ?”till at last they settled down somewhere about the middle but nearer to the sleepers than to the other end.It was about ten by now and almost dark.Those strange new constellations burned in the east.Lucy would have liked it better if they had been the Leopard and the Ship and other old friends of the Narnian sky.
他们花了很长时间，才在这张危机四伏的桌上挑好座位，其实每个人的原因都相同，但是没人说出口。因为这确实是一件令人讨厌的选择。你要整夜坐在三个浑身长着吓人长毛的怪物旁边，这实在无法忍受，即使这三个人不是死人，但也不是一般的活人。可是用另一种方法呢，远离他们而坐，但天色越来越黑，慢慢就会看不见他们， 也不知道他们是不是有动静，也许到半夜两点钟就根本也看不见他们了……不，不能继续想了。他们就绕着桌子走了一圈又一圈，嘴里说：“这儿怎么样?” 一会儿说：“还是坐得远一点儿更好吧。”一会儿又说：“为什么不坐在这边呢?”最后他们决定坐在中间，离三个沉睡的人更近一些。这时大约十点钟，天算是很黑了。陌生的星星在东方闪闪发光，如果这是豹子座和船星座，也就是在纳尼亚的上空看到过的老朋友，露茜会更加放松。
They wrapped themselves in their sea cloaks and sat still and waited.At first there was some attempt at talk but it didn’t come to much.And they sat and sat.And all the time they heard the waves breaking on the beach.
他们裹着航海外套，一动不动，静静地等待着。一开始他们也试图谈谈，可是谈不出什么话题来。于是大家只好坐着，耳边一直回旋着浪花拍岸的声音。
After hours that seemed like ages there came a moment when they all knew they had been dozing a moment before but were all suddenly wide awake.The stars were all in quite different positions from those they had last noticed.The sky was very black except for the faintest possible greyness in the east.They were cold， though thirsty，and stiff.And none of them spoke because now at last something was happening.
几个小时过去了，仿佛好几个世纪刚刚走完的感觉，他们都明白刚才已经打过一会儿盹，突然一下子全都清醒了。星座的方位都跟刚刚看到的，完全不同了。天空很黑，只有东方隐隐约约有些灰白。他们不仅口渴，身上又冷又僵，却没人愿意说话，终于又一次出现了些神奇的事情。
Before them，beyond the pillars，there was the slope of a low hill.And now a door opened in the hillside，and light appeared in the doorway，and a figure came out，and the door shut behind it.The figure carried a light，and this light was really all that they could see distinctly.It came slowly nearer and nearer till at last it stood right at the table opposite to them.Now they could see that it was a tall girl，dressed in a single long garment of clear blue which left her arms bare.She was bareheaded and her yellow hair hung down her back.And when they looked at her they thought they had never before known what beauty meant.
在他们前面，柱子外有座低矮的小山坡。这时，坡上一扇门打开了，门口有些许亮光，有一个人从里面走出来，背后的门自己关上了。那人手里拿着灯火，这一抹光亮其实就是他们唯一能看得清的东西。灯火慢慢越来越近，越来越近，最后正对着他们放在桌子对面。他们终于看清来者是个高个姑娘，穿着一件蓝色露臂长袍。姑娘没戴帽子，金发披散在背后。他们看到她，不由地感慨，活到现在才终于知道什么是美人了。
The light which she had been carrying was a tall candle in a silver candlestick which she now set upon the table.If there had been any wind off the sea earlier in the night it must have died down by now，for the flame of the candle burned as straight and still as if it were in a room with the windows shut and the curtains drawn. Gold and silver on the table shone in its light.
她刚才拿着的灯火原来是支插在银烛台上的长烛。她把烛台搁在桌上。如果上半夜刮过海风的话，这会儿一定是停了，烛火笔直不动，像是搁在一间关紧窗户拉上窗帘的屋里似的，桌上的那些金银餐具在烛光下反射着光芒。
Lucy now noticed something lying lengthwise on the table which had escaped her attention before.It was a knife of stone， sharp as steel，a cruel-looking，ancient looking thing.
露茜这才注意到桌子那头放着一件东西，之前她没在意。那是把石刀，像钢一样锋利，是件样子古老的且充满杀气的东西。
No one had yet spoken a word.Then-Reepicheep first，and Caspian next-they all rose to their feet，because they felt that she was a great lady.
直到现在，依旧没人说话。然后——雷佩契普和凯斯宾先后站了起来，接着大家都跟着站了起来，因为他们觉得她必定很高贵。
“Travellers who have come from far to Aslan’s table，”said the girl.“Why do you not eat and drink ?”
“远道来到的阿斯兰的客人们，”那姑娘说，“为什么，你们不吃不喝啊?”
“Madam，”said Caspian，“we feared the food because we thought it had cast our friends into an enchanted sleep.”
“姑娘，”凯斯宾说，“我们不敢吃，我们觉得自己的朋友可能就是吃了这些酒菜，才中了魔法并且长睡不醒。”
“They have never tasted it，”she said.
“他们根本没吃过这些。”她说。
“Please，”said Lucy，“what happened to them ?”
“那请问，”露茜说，“他们到底发生了什么事情?”
“Seven years ago，”said the girl，“they came here in a ship whose sails were rags and timbers ready to fall apart.There were a few others with them，sailors，and when they came to this table one said，Here is the good place.Let us set sail and reef sail and row no longer but sit down and end our days in peace !‘And the second said，No，let us re-embark and sail for Narnia and the west;it may be that Miraz is dead.’But the third，who was a very masterful man，leaped up and said，No，by heaven.We are men and Telmarines，not brutes.What should we do but seek adventure after adventure ? We have not long to live in any event.Let us spend what is left in seeking the unpeopled world behind the sunrise.And as they quarrelled he caught up the Knife of Stone which lies there on the table and would have fought with his comrades.But it is a thing not right for him to touch.And as his fingers closed upon the hilt，deep sleep fell upon all the three. And till the enchantment is undone they will never wake.”
“七年前，”那姑娘说，“他们乘了一条船来到这儿，船帆都成了碎布条，船骨也几乎散架了。他们带着几个水手，走到这张餐桌前。一个人说，‘这里真好。我们就此解开帆篷，不再划桨，坐在这里安享天年吧!’第二个人说，‘不，我们还是重新上船，开到纳尼亚去，回到西方去，说不定弥若兹已经死了呢。’第三个人非常专横，暴跳如雷地说，‘不，上帝看着我们呢!我们是男子汉大丈夫， 是台尔马人，不是畜生。我们除了不断探险猎奇，还该干什么呢?反正我们活不久了。不如利用剩下的生命去探索太阳后面那个无人的世界吧。’他们一边说一边争吵起来，他操起一把放在桌上的石刀， 想跟伙伴干上一架。谁知那把刀是动不得的。他手指刚拿住刀把，这三个人就一起陷入了沉睡中，要睡到魔法破除才会醒来。”
“What is this Knife of Stone ?”asked Eustace.
“这把石刀有什么特别呢?”尤斯塔斯问。
“Do none of you know it ?”said the girl.
“你们都不知道吗?”那姑娘说。
“I—I think，”said Lucy，“I’ve seen something like it before.It was a knife like it that the White Witch used when she killed Aslan at the Stone Table long ago.”
“我……我想，”露茜说，“我以前见过类似这样的刀。这把刀像很久之前，白女巫在石桌上杀死阿斯兰的那把刀。”
“It was the same.，”said the girl，“and it was brought here to be kept in honour while the world lasts.”
“就是这把，”那姑娘说，“这把刀被带到这里保存起来作个纪念。”
Edmund，who had been looking more and more uncomfortable for the last few minutes，now spoke.
爱德蒙刚才神色越来越难看，这个时候他开口了。
“Look here，”he said，“I hope I’m not a coward-about eating this food，I mean-and I’m sure I don’t mean to be rude.But we have had a lot of queer adventures on this voyage of ours and things aren’t always what they seem.When I look in your face I can’t help believing all you say：but then that’s just what might happen with a witch too.How are we to know you’re a friend ?”
“听着，”他说，“其实我不是个胆小鬼——可是我觉得吃这些酒菜……我也并非存心冒犯。我们这次远航的路上经历了不少稀奇古怪的事情，而且事情从不像是表面上那样。当我看着你脸时，我只能相信你说的一切。万一碰到女巫，我也只能选择相信她。我们怎么知道你其实是我们的朋友呢?”
“You can’t know，”said the girl.“You can only believe or not.”
“没有办法知道，”姑娘说，“信不信由你了。”
After a moment’s pause Reepicheep’s small voice was heard.
片刻之后，只听到雷佩契普小声说话。
“Sire，”he said to Caspian，“of your courtesy fill my cup with wine from that flagon：it is too big for me to lift.I will drink to the lady.”
“陛下，”它对凯斯宾说，“劳驾您从那个酒壶里替我斟杯酒： 这壶太大，我拿不动。我要为这位姑娘祝酒。”
Caspian obeyed and the Mouse，standing on the table，held up a golden cup between its tiny paws and said，“Lady，I pledge you.”Then it fell to on cold peacock，and in a short while everyone else followed its example.All were very hungry and the meal，if not quite what you wanted for a very early breakfast，was excellent as a very late supper.
凯斯宾照做了，老鼠站在餐桌上，两个小爪子捧着金杯说：“姑娘，敬您一杯。”说罢它就吃起冷孔雀肉来。一会儿，大家都跟着它开始吃喝。大家很饿，即使这顿酒菜不适合作早餐，可是作为一顿夜宵来说再好不过了。
“Why is it called Aslan’s table ?”asked Lucy presently.
“为什么称这是阿斯兰的餐桌?”不一会儿露茜问。
“It is set here by his bidding，”said the girl，“for those who come so far.Some call this island the World’s End，for though you can sail further，this is the beginning of the end.”
“餐桌是按照他的嘱咐摆在这里的，”那姑娘说，“专门招待那些远道而来的人。有人把这岛称作世界的尽头，虽然你们还可以再往远处开，但这里是尽头的开端。”
“But how does the food keep ?”asked the practical Eustace.
“这些酒菜是怎么保鲜的?”务实的尤斯塔斯问。
“It is eaten，and renewed every day，”said the girl.“This you will see.”
“每天吃掉了再重新做，”那姑娘说，“一会儿就知道了。”
“And what are we to do about the Sleepers ?”asked Caspian.“In the world from which my friends come”(here，he nodded at Eustace and the Pevensies)“they have a story of a prince or a king coming to a castle where all the people lay in an enchanted sleep.In that story he could not dissolve the enchantment until he had kissed the Princess.”
“这几个沉睡的人怎么办?”凯斯宾问，“在我这几位朋友的世界里，”说到这里他朝尤斯塔斯和佩文西兄妹点点头，“流传着一个故事，有个王子或国王来到一个城堡，城堡里的人全都中了魔法沉睡不醒。在那故事里，他吻了公主，并且解除了魔法。”
“But here，”said the girl，“it is different.Here he cannot kiss the Princess till he has dissolved the enchantment.”
“这儿的情况却不同，”姑娘说，“这里是要解除了魔法，才能吻公主。”
“Then，”said Caspian，“in the name of Aslan，show me how to set about that work at once.”
“如此说来，”凯斯宾说，“以阿斯兰的名义，我该做些什么。”
“My father will teach you that，”said the girl.
“我父亲会告诉你的。”姑娘说。
“Your father !”said everyone.“Who is he? And where?”
“你父亲!”大家说，“他是什么人?在哪里?”
“Look，”said the girl，turning round and pointing at the door in the hillside.They could see it more easily now，for while they had been talking the stars had grown fainter and great gaps of white light were appearing in the greyness of the eastern sky.
“你看”姑娘回过头，指着山坡上那扇门说。此刻看起来已经非常清楚了，在他们谈话那会儿，星星开始暗淡了，东方灰蒙蒙的天空已经露出大片白色的曙光。
“We can try，”said Caspian，and began shaking the nearest of the three sleepers.For a moment everyone thought he was going to be successful，for the man breathed hard and muttered，“I’ll go eastward no more.Out oars for Narnia.”But he sank back almost at once into a yet deeper sleep than before：that is，his heavy head sagged a few inches lower towards the table and all efforts to rouse him again were useless.With the second it was much the same. “Weren’t born to live like animals.Get to the east while you’ve a chance-lands behind the sun，”and sank down.And the third only said，“Mustard，please，”and slept hard.
“可以试试。”凯斯宾说着开始摇三个沉睡的人中最靠近他的一个。有那么一会儿大家以为他就要成功了，因为那人拼命吸着气，嘟囔：“我再也不往东了，我准备划船到纳尼亚去。” 可是说完一下子又睡着了，而且睡得比之前还要沉。他的脑袋还往桌子下低下几英寸，任你再怎么吵都吵不醒。第二个人和第一个人如出一辙，叨念了几句：“我们不是生来就得做牛做马才可以生活下去。你有机会就到东方去吧，到太阳后面的陆地上去。”说着就不省人事了。第三个人只说了一句：“请把芥末递给我。”说完又大睡了。